Railway signal device.



PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

J. A. BAKER. RAILWAY SIGNAL DEVICE.

15% JZBaZef APPLICATION TILED NOV.30. 1906.

Witnesses can, wAsHmnoN. a. c.

JOHN A. BAKER, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

RAILWAY SIGNAL DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed November 30,1906. Serial No. 345,761-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway signaling devices and has for its object the provision of an attachment for the devices now used for controlling the semaphore arms of railway signals, constructed in such manner as to remind a telegraph operator of orders received concerning a given train.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a portion of a semaphore and a partial sectional view of an intermediate telegraph station, illustrating the parts in their normal position and with the semaphore arm at block, Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the controlling members of the semaphore arm in the position they assume when the semaphore arm is at clear, Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the position the parts assume when the semaphore arm is at block and the attachment forming the subject matter of the present invention has been brought into play to draw the semaphore controlling grip or handle out of the reach of the operator, and, Fig. 4 is a detail view of a clamp hereinafter described.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 5 designates a post supporting a semaphore arm 6, of the usual and well known construction. This semaphore arm is so balanced as to be maintained at the block position unless positively actuated in the opposite direction. This is the usual construction of these devices and requires no further description.

The arm 6 is connected by a rod or link 7 with one of the arms 8 ofa bell crank lever 9. This bell crank is pivoted as 'at 10 to the post 5. To the opposite arm 11 of this bell crank lever is connected a rod 12, said rod being in turn connected to one of the arms 13 of a bell crank lever .located within the station 14. This last named bell crank lever ispivoted'as at 15 to a bracket 16 and to its opposite arm 17 is connected a cord 18. A hand grip 19 secured to the lower end of this cord is adapted to hook over a detent hook 20 which is secured just above the operators table 21.

So far as described, the parts are all of the usual and well known construction and the attachment forming the subject matter of the present-invention, will now be described. Secured to the ceiling of the telegraph station is a pulley 22. A cord 23 passes over this pulley and a weight 24 is carried by one end of this cord. A

ring 25 is carried by the opposite end of this cord and is adapted to engage over a pin 26 carried by the wall 27 of the telegraph station. A cord 28 connects the cord 23 to the grip 19.

The operation of the device is as follows: It is to be understood that the station here shown is one of the many intermediate stations located along a railroad. The majority of trains pass these stations without stopping and without receiving orders, but no train passes any station unless the semaphore arm is at clear. In the normal course of events therefore, upon the approach of a regularly scheduled train which he has no reason for holding, the operator hooks the cord 19 over the detent hook 20, thereby drawing the arm 6 down to about an angle of forty-five degrees and indicating to the engineer of the on-coming train that the way is clear. When the operator at one of these intermediate stations, however, receives orders for a given train, it is desirable to provide some means to remind him of these orders and this has been accomplished by providing a mechanism constructed in such manner that after the orders have been received, the operator must grasp a different handle or different member in order to operate the semaphore arm until those orders have actually been delivered. Upon the receipt of telegraphic orders affecting train 3 for instance, the operator disengages the ring 25 from the pin 26, the weight then acting to draw the parts to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, at which time the grip 19 is out of the reach of the operator and the ring 25 is Within the reach of the operator. If train 2 arrives before train 3, the operator may grasp the ring 25 to draw the grip 19 within reach in order to clear said train, but he does not again engage the ring 25 with the pin 26 until the train for which he has received the orders has passed and the orders have been delivered. After this train has passed, the ring 25 is again engaged with the pin 26 and the parts restored to the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4, a modified form of device has been illustrated. With this construction the cord 18 passes between a seat 30, carried by a plate 31, and a jaw 32 which is pivoted in a lug 33 and has an outwardly extending arm 34. The cord 28 is connected in this form of the device, to an eyelet 35 formed upon the free end of this arm 34. It will therefore be seen that when the weight is released by disengaging the ring 25 from the pin 26, that said weight will act to throw the jaw 32 toward the seat 31, thereby clamping the cord 18 against movement.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that simple and eflicient means are herein provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, but while the elements shown and described are well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth, but includes within its purview such changes as may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim, is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a semaphore controlling handle, of members adapted when released to hold said semaphore actuating handle against movement until said auxiliary members have been actuated, and means for locking said auxiliary members out of action.

2. In a device of the character described, the combina tion with a semaphore controlling handle, of auxiliary members adapted when released to draw said handle out of the reach of the operator, and means for locking said auxiliary members out of action.

In a device of the character described, the combination with a semaphore controlling handle, of a detent over which said handle may be engaged, a weighted cord connected to said handle and normally tending to draw said handle out of the reach of the operator, and a locking mechanism adapted to hold said Weighted cord out of action.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. BAKER.

Witnesses W. H. Arms, M. H. POTTER. 

